Page 11 of Save Me

Chapter 5

“Is he going to be okay?”Calen asked Eric as he checked out the patient lying in the hospital bed.

The OD Eric found in the bathroom had been identified. He was a local college kid who’d come to the club with friends. The others assumed he’d hooked up with a girl he’d been eyeing and took off with her. He hadn’t been missed till the next afternoon.

“He should pull through,” he assured his boss, checking the student’s chart once again. “It’s just a good thing we found him when we did.”

Overdose drugs had been administered as soon as he’d been able to get his kit from his car. It had been touch and go there for a while, but the young man had pulled through. His parents were flying in from Colorado to take over his care.

Eric had stayed all night at the local hospital—his former workplace. It had been awkward as hell at first, but the staff didn’t seem to hold any of his bad behavior against him. It was a credit to their professionalism that they didn’t boot him out on his ass when he walked in. It helped that the ER staff had changed in the few years he’d been away. There was always a high turnover there.

Also, the fact his “mobster” boss was around might have also helped with greasing the wheels with the hospital administrators. They’d gone out of their way to welcome him when they learned he was there.

Calen saves me yet again.

He turned to the man in question. His employer looked as tired as he felt. There were dark circles under his eyes and his hair was mussed for the first time in memory. A few years ago, Eric would have guessed he was worried about the viability of his business, and how this overdose would affect his bottom line. He knew better now. Calen genuinely cared about people, whether they were his staff or just customers.

“You should get back to the hotel. Maia is probably worried about you. And given the situation back home, she shouldn’t be left alone.”

Calen acknowledged his advice with a tilt of his head, but his eyes didn’t leave the kid in the bed. “I asked one of her other friends, Peyton, to come with us so she’s not on her own. And I don’t want to take Maia home just yet. I will, however, get out of here as soon as Mike arrives. It’s only a matter of time before the cops show up to take your statement. I’d rather they meet me at the club when my attorney is present.”

“Which one is on standby?” Calen had a lot of lawyers.

“Lee.”

Eric nodded. “I’ll make sure the hospital staff keeps me updated. If anything changes with his prognosis, I’ll call you.”

“Sounds good.”

He stepped into the hallway and spoke to the charge nurse about his request.

“Sure thing,” she said with a bright smile and a flutter of her lashes. Eric blinked and glanced at her name tag. Nurse Ellie. Was she the one who had started calling him Asian McDreamy?

He decided she was when she winked at him. He nodded politely and retreated back down the hallway, embarrassed.

Mike stood at the open door of the patient’s room next to two men. One was a short Hispanic male. The taller one was an African-American woman, whip-thin with a no nonsense expression. Their suits screamed plainclothes detective.

“Eric.” Mike waved him over. “This is the doctor I was telling you about. Can you tell the detectives about finding the student?” he asked, gesturing behind them.

The room was empty save for the patient. Calen had ducked out ahead of the cops’ arrival. Eric launched into an explanation, briefly detailing his position and how he’d treated the overdose.

The woman, who only gave the last name Carter, did all the talking. She asked several questions and then proceeded to shock the hell out of him.

“Are you acquainted with Andie Simms?”

He stared at her blankly, hoping he didn't appear as shocked as he felt. “Yes, why?”

Carter flipped to another page in her notes. “Miss Simms came into the station earlier today to make a statement about some drugs being found in her locker. Is it the same drug this boy OD’d on?”

“Possibly,” he said, trying to cover his confusion.

Andie had gone to talk to them voluntarily? That had to mean she was innocent. He checked Mike’s reaction, but the big man was expressionless. Eric was the one giving everything away on his face.

He redoubled his efforts to imitate Mike’s stoicism as the rapid-fire questions continued. He had the faint sense they were trying to trip him up, but they didn’t ask him the one thing that would have thrown him—about his personal relationship to Andie.

“Did Miss Simms mention where she was staying?” Mike asked. “We understand she left her old place recently, but she forgot to update her address with the club’s manager.”

Carter straightened and narrowed her eyes faintly. “She did, but we’re not at liberty to disclose it,” she said in a noticeably colder voice.

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